The first B&E release, a sourced bourbon blended at the California distillery, was well regarded by whiskey enthusiasts—perhaps more so now that the stock has been depleted. For this current release, St. George took more of a Swiss Army knife approach, sourcing bourbon and rye from Kentucky and Tennessee, then blending them with the distillery’s own malt whiskey. As the brand puts it, the blend brings together distillates of corn, barley, rye, and wheat, “with no one grain being dominant.”

The end result shows its relative lack of age (“no less than 2.5 years,” it says on the bottle) and doesn’t quite come together into a cohesive package. The nose shows much more of the malt character, dry and spicy with some oatmeal and banana notes and a strong iodine component. A touch of sweetness shows up on the palate along with some nuttiness, but it dries up rather quickly, taking on an almost astringent character as the finish all but disappears.

Breaking & Entering American Whiskey is an interesting blend, and it’s worth trying at the price point. But, man, I’d love to see what another three years in the barrel would do for it.

★★★

Stats:
— 43% ABV
— $35

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About the Author

Jeff Dufour is a full-time political journalist in Washington, DC, and a part-time cocktail tinkerer and writer. He's been covering cocktails and spirits for more than 10 years, and his drinks writing has appeared in Capitol File, DC Magazine, Craft Spirits Exchange, and UrbanDaddy, among others.
He thinks that a full ounce of lemon juice is almost always too much, a single dash of bitters is almost never enough, and sherry is still overrated, no matter how many times someone tries to tell him otherwise. Follow him at @dcdufour.